Showing the inner worlds of outsider creators

Art has transcended singular forms; and what vitality emerges when art liberates itself from traditional constraints.

From July 12 to Oct 12, the Power Station of Art in Shanghai, in collaboration with the Collection de l'Art Brut, Lausanne, Switzerland, is hosting A Walk on the Wild Side: Artworks from the Collection de l'Art Brut and Elsewhere — a showcase featuring 259 works by 52 artists that unravel the enigmas of Art Brut.

Coined by French artist Jean Dubuffet (1901-85), the concept of Art Brut encompasses works by self-taught artists operating beyond the confines of the conventional art world.

The exhibition incorporates pieces from the Collection de l'Art Brut and works by four self-taught Chinese artists. It also showcases an array of archival materials, documents and footage tracing the history of Lausanne's Collection de l'Art Brut since its establishment in 1976, inviting viewers into the inner universes of these "outsider creators".

"Starting in 1945, Dubuffet built up a collection of diverse works by self-taught artists outside official art circles," says Sarah Lombardi, director of the Collection de l'Art Brut.

"He united them under the banner of'Art Brut' based on the shared traits of their creators — they did not align with specific artistic styles or movements, but worked on the fringes of the conventional art world, and for the most part did not see themselves as artists."

In 1971, Dubuffet donated more than 5,000 works from his collection to the city of Lausanne, laying the foundation for the Collection de l'Art Brut. Today, it remains the sole institution housing Dubuffet's original Art Brut collection.

The exhibition spotlights creators who influenced Dubuffet, such as Adolf Wolfli and Aloise Corbaz, alongside those discovered by the Collection de l'Art Brut over nearly five decades, including Komei Bekki and Judith Scott.

Notably, it features Chinese artist Guo Fengyi. The Collection de l'Art Brut held a significant retrospective of her works from 2011 to 2012. PSA also houses several of her pieces.

Artworks on display are categorized into six thematic sections — Inner Worlds, Human Figures, Creatures, the World Around, the World as an Inventory, and Abstract Worlds — delving into the relationship between Art Brut artists and their environments.

Gong Yan, director of PSA, says: "Through this exhibition, we seek to explore how human conditions vary across eras, how we engage with unique individuals, how we can be more inclusive, and how we can apply broader standards in reflecting on our culture and ourselves."

Beyond its artistic significance, the exhibition commemorates a significant milestone in the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Switzerland this year.

Sacha Bachmann, consul general of Switzerland in Shanghai, says: "This exhibition not only constructs a substantial bridge for China-Switzerland cultural exchange, but also enriches the diplomatic anniversary with profound humanistic significance."

Jin Lei, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, emphasizes that civilizations communicate through diversity, learn from each other through exchange, and flourish through mutual learning.

"This exhibition represents another step in Shanghai's endeavors to promote mutual cultural learning and cultivate pluralistic integration," he says.